Thompson swims to Big Ten title

New Berlin West High School graduate Beckie Thompson, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, won the 50-yard freestyle during the Feb.19 Big Ten Conference Swimming and Diving Championships.

Thompson earned the top seed by a comfortable margin with her league-record swim of 22.09 seconds in the prelims and won the event in the finals in 22.26 seconds.

"I'm excited about the finish," said Thompson, who has been the Big Ten leader in the event since December. "I was really excited coming out here for my first Big Tens, getting to see what it is all about.

Thompson has clocked four of the five fastest 50 free times in conference history and is one of only three athletes in league history to go under the 22.30 mark.

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